Device for catching crown corks and like bottle-closures



Feb. 4, 1936.

F. E. WILLIAMSON DEVICE FOR CATCHING CROWN CORKS AND'LIKE BOTTLE CLOSURES Filed Deo, 12.. 1954 Patented Feb. 4, 1936 mi sur I Y' DEvIeEfFoRfoAmQnINoCROWN 00ans.

ANR-:MISE fBQ-TTLETCLOSUEES Frank Edward Williamson,4 Reigate, England Application Deeembenlz, lesen-Serial No. 557,222 In; (reatBri tai n-l February 23, 1934 crowmfcorksand similar closures;4 uponntheir re-s maval .,.fromf bottles` l.and is particularly, suitable fonnse in. conjunction` with. contrivances, lfor re-r` curedto counters, bars andthe `like. Metalfwire baskets.fixed `,underthe closure,-rennwing.:,Con- ,Y

purpose .-,of .,catching., these.. closures` which?, are ,a source of damage to the floor and of--danger .to Personsiwho-.treal umn them` I.,

According to the invention a device for the purpose set-forth consists of an inclined chute leading to a conveniently disposed receptacle for the bottle-closures and comprising a yielding part adapted to bear resiliently against the neck of the bottle during the removal of its closure. Preferably said chute is in two telescopically arranged parts one of which projects from the other to engage the neck of the bottle in a resilient manner during the removal of the closure. For example, the aforesaid chute part may be guided, to slide at its inner end in the fixed other part, resiliently supported at its outer end in said other part and connected to said other part by resilient means, for example, a tension spring, which tends to hold the rst named part in the projecting position.

The invention will become more fully apparent from the following description, in conjunction with the accompanying diagrammatic drawing, of one device illustrative of the invention.

In the drawing,

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the complete device with the bottom of the cage absent; and

Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation showing the device in use.

The device about to be described is formed as an inclined chute comprising two main sheetmetal parts disposed telescopically with relation to one another, namely, a trough-body Il and a forward extension I3. The trough-body II has at its forward end an upward flange I5 by which it may be xed to the front face of a shelf or the like, the trough-body extending rearwardly under the shelf and sloping somewhat downwardly. Fixed on the front of the flange I5 is a closure remover I6. The trough-body II has at its rear an aperture I1 in its bottom; at each side of the aperture I1 there is a rib I9 on the underside of A :metal: wire: receptacle 23 has` a .sheeLi-,milz-i top `,25;.provided with tworunners 7.211whicl'i gena, gagefyvith andslideupon the ribs [9:1 thestop 2,15, 5 stops the; receptacle;` 23 :Whenit has beenggsllid'e.

rearwardlysufciently. I

Therfforward extension I3 I projects ,beneatl 1 the-f, removen I6;v it is mounted,Withinfeihiillilil bodygt so that itsiforward end inclinesupwardly relativelyl to the .trouglof'bodyl i, 'Ihetextensio is.normallyheldforwardlyzby tension-.Springsf an abutment 33 limiting its forward movement,byv contact 'Iv/ith the bottoma of 'the-trough;=body; A leafsspring .'35 :on the :,bottomqof .the-,extension, I3 a1-5;, normally holds the front oftheuextensionnupfg wardly, sliding upon the bottom of the troughbody; the sides of the extension are less deep at the front than at the rear.

` The operation is as follows 'Ihe bottle is placed in position with its metal closure over the rearwardly-hooked edge of the remover; in this position the bottle neck engages the front edge of the extension I3 and may force it rearwardly as shown in Fig. 2. As the bottle is moved downwardly to eiect the removal of the closure, the extension is pressed back into the trough-body. As the bottle is drawn forwardly on removal of the closure, the extension follows the bottle so as to ensure that the closure falls into the extension and slides down the same into the trough-body and thence through the aperture into the receptacle.

Alternatively, some of the advantages of the invention might be obtained by shortening the extension I 3 and pivoting its bottom to the front of the trough-body II; in that case either the springs 3| or the spring 35 might be eliminated since pivoting of the extension would both raise and retract it.

What I claim is: v

1. Means for catching closures detached from bottles and for delivering such closures to a receptacle; comprising a contrivance for removing the closures from a bottle by relative movement of the bottle with respect to the contrivance; a relatively movable closure-receiving and delivering chute normally projected to a position to catch the closure dropping from the bottle and D said contrivance, and into the path of the bottle for contacting and rearward propulsion by the bottle during the bottle movement to extract its closure; supporting means for said chute; and means for yieldngly maintaining said chute in said normal projected position and for returning the same thereto.

2. Means for catching and delivering closures detached from bottles, comprising a normallyxed device for removing the closure from a bottle by relative swinging movement of the bottle; a support; a chute for catching and delivering said detached closure, said chute being carried by and relatively movable with respect to said support and means yieldingly maintaining said chute normally projected into said path of movement of the bottle Yand in a position to catch the closure detached by said contrivance, said chute adapted to contact said bottle and be thereby propelled during said bottle movement, said means adapted to resist said chute propulsion and to return said chute to its said normal projected position.

3. A device for removing a closure from a bottle by relative swinging movement of the bottle 'while its closure is grasped by said device, in combination with a housing normally fixed with respect to said device; a chute carried by said housing and having a limited path of movement with respect thereto in the approximate direction of said bottle movement, for receiving closures falling from said device and for discharging such closures to a receptacle; and means for yieldingly maintaining said chute in and returning the same to said bottle path of movement for engagement with and propulsion by said bottle, said chute arranged to catch the closure ldetached during said bottle movement.

4. In a device for the purpose substantially as set forth, that includes a contrivance for removing bottle closures and a receptacle for the said closures mounted below and to the rear of the said contrivance; in combination, an inclined chute extending between said contrivance and said receptacle and opening into the latter at its lower end, supporting means in which the said chute is movably mounted, and spring means acting upon the chute to cause the upper end of the same to project below the contrivance in position for engagement with the neck of a bottle applied to the said contrivance and to yieldingly oppose movement of said chute with said neck.

5. In a device for use with a contrivance for removing bottle-closures, that includes a receptacle for such closures mounted below and to the rear of the said contrivance; in combination, an inclined chute extending from a point below said contrivance to the receptacle, a support in which sai-d chute is slidably mounted for movement substantially in the direction of its length and resilient means acting upon the chute to cause the upper end of the same to project from said support in position for engagement by the neck of a bottle from which the closure is to be removed and to offer resilient resistance to sliding movement imparted to said chute by said bottle neck.

6. A device for use with a contrivance for re.

moving bottle-closures, comprising an inclined chute in two telescopic parts and opening at its lower end for discharge to a receptacle, one part being a iixture and the rear end of the other part being slidably guided in it, resilient means acting between the two parts to cause the said other part to project from the said one part, and resilient means arranged to support the front end of the said other part.

FRANK EDWARD WILLIAMSON. 

